How to Make Pet Food Dishes

                                                                                                         

Avoid the cost of purchasing food dishes for your four-legged friends and do a bit of recycling good by reusing unwanted plastic containers from your recycling. This is a really simple activity to make versatile pet food dishes in a short space of time, enhanced by your own creative edge.

EditSteps

1. 1
   Find a suitable unwanted plastic container. The plastic containers should be food grade, durable and stable. Hence, the best ones are those containers that have held your own food initially and are strong enough to be reused, such as ice cream containers, or other frozen food storage containers. Avoid any containers that won't clean, are stained, appear weak, or that have any sharp edges. Never use containers that have had toxic products in them (which includes knowing which human foods are not good for pets) - stick to food grade containers only. When sizing, consider:
   • Cats - remember their whiskers, which are wide and sensitive. Cats need a shallow, wide container that doesn't obstruct their head access with whiskers included, but don't make the dish too deep. The water dish should be slightly deeper than the food dish.
   • Dogs - dogs need a dish that has enough room for a single meal. Things to think about include not having too large a dish to avoid the temptation to over-feed your dog, and floppy eared dogs should be give a dish that doesn't cause their ears fall into the meal. The water dish should be twice as big as the meal dish.
2. 2
   Peel off any labels from the chosen container. Use a non-toxic adhesive-removing solution if there is any sticky residue left behind. Wash the container with warm sudsy water, inside and out, thoroughly. Leave it to air dry.
3. 3
   Lay out newspapers where you'll be working. These will protect the work surface. Keep your pet away from your workspace - you don't want him licking glitter or paint!
   
   
4. 4
   Decorate the container. Use anything you have available or that inspires you, to make your designs, such as stickers, non-toxic permanent markers, glitter, non-toxic paint, sequins, rhinestones, whatever! Enjoy this process and remember that your artwork doesn't have to be perfect; it's not like the dog cares if a letter is a fraction of a millimeter shorter than the rest! Keep in mind, however, that it is very important to make sure that whatever you decorate the container with is securely attached to the container, to prevent your pet from pulling it off and chewing it or swallowing it. If in doubt about a stick-on item, don't use it at all, especially not for puppies and kittens.
   
   
5. 5
   Use clear packing tape to seal everything onto the container. This means covering your decorative work in neat layers, being careful not to leave gaps. This will let you to wipe off food stains easily. This step is optional if you'd rather not apply tape; just be sure that your decorations can withstand being wiped clean.
   
   
6. 6
   Wash the container. Wash it twice, for good measure. Be careful with the outside - wiping will be better than washing the external surface. Allow the completed container to air dry again. Fill it with food or water, and watch your pet enjoy their first meal or drink from the new container.

EditTips

• 
  If you make two dishes, label one "water" and one "food", or whatever you'd like them to be labeled. Be creative: "Foofoo" and "H2O" are more exciting labels than plain "food" and "water".
• Be aware that plastic containers don't last long with continued usage. Given that it is really easy to replace these containers, however, it shouldn't be too difficult to continue updating fresh versions for your pet as needed.

EditWarnings

• Plastic contains Bisphenol A. In humans Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor, which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects. Many mammal species' biology, especially dogs and cats, are similar to human biology so use your own judgment when using plastics. If you don't want it in your body, do you want it in your pet's?
• Plastic containers probably aren't the best choice if your pet has a habit of pushing the dish around and making a big, spilling mess. You'll need to invest in something sturdier and heavier.
• Do not put any decorations on the inside of the dish. The adhesives, etc., might contaminate the food, and if they come loose, your pet might accidentally ingest them.
• Cats are more sensitive to plastic and can develop allergies or "feline acne" from plastic containers (even commercially made plastic pet food dishes); check the cat's chin regularly to make sure there are no black lesions forming.[1] Cease using the plastic dish if you notice any such problems. Dogs are less sensitive but, with that said, they can also be impacted by degraded plastic (see following warning). If this is a continuing problem with your pet, try using a non-porous material for their food bowl, such as metal.
• Dispose of all chewed, bitten, broken, etc., plastic food containers - once the plastic is split, broken, or torn, it will quickly harbor bacteria growth and should be disposed of - clean and recycle it where possible.

EditThings You'll Need

• A container that has a reasonable size in relation to your pet
• Decorations such as stickers, sequins, paint, markers, etc. Make sure that the markers and paints are non-toxic and do not use sequins and other raised objects if you have any concerns at all about chewing, etc.
• Non-toxic adhesive for decorations
• Clear tape (look for eco-tape where possible)
• Newspapers
• Warm, sudsy water (use a tiny amount of your own dish washing formula)
• Sponge for wiping